Suwa
Get in
The bus station is across the street from the train station on Route 20. It is a small office on the outside of the Plaza.
Get around
There are three local bus routes on those ridiculous looking buses with the quince fruit on the outside. They can take you to Suwakoland, as well as shopping the big stores, and Montbell at Station Park.
You can walk to the castle, geyser, and around the downtown area.
Trains to neighboring cities.
Rent a bicycle at the JR station rental agency.
To reach the Yatsugatake, take a train to Chino and then a bus to Minodoguchi.
See
Suwa Geyser CenterA once an hour 10-min eruption. See the website for exact times.
Takashima CastleThis castle is quite nice but lacks English signs.
Takashima ParkThe park is especially enjoyable in cherry blossom season.
Do
Onbashira-saiEvery six years, Suwa is home to Onbashira-sai, one of the "three dangerous festivals" in Japan. Onbashira is a symbolic reconstruction of the four shrines of the Suwa Taisha with gigantic logs harvested from the forests at the base of Mt. Yatsugatake. The highlight of the festival is the kiotoshi portion, where brave and foolhardy young men ride on these giant logs as they slide down a steep hill. Injuries are common and occasionally deaths occur.
OnsenEnjoy the hot springs.
Hike the Yatsugatake
Bike around the lake
SuwakolandWork out, swim, and onsen.
Kirigamine HighlandLook at flowers at this volcano.
Suwa Fireworks FestivalAn enormous event on the lake on August 15th. Get there early, mark your sitting spot the night before or the early morning of, eat stand food, drink beer, watch one of the top 5 fireworks shows in Japan. Come early to the fireworks and visit the Taiko Festival in neighboring Okaya a few days before.
Eat
Drink
Sleep
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phone: +81 266-55-4716address: 314 Hirasawa-cho, Shimosuwa-machiA cool and relaxed hostel. The hostel has a shared kitchen, open lounge area and a small bar that serves drinks to guests and locals in the evening. The dorm rooms are spacious and the beds include a storage compartment, lamp and power point. The hostel has some nice touches including the provision of free soap that can be taken to local onsen and a coffee machine that can be used for a small fee. The hostel appears to be frequented by mainly Japanese travelers and locals from the area, so it is a nice place to practice your Japanese.
